Caribbean Assembly backs Guyana
THE Assembly of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians (ACCP) has passed an emergency resolution supporting Guyana in the wake of Venezuela's revival of its claim to the Essequibo. ACCP members meeting in Grenada last week urged the governments of the community to restate their unwavering support for the territorial integrity of Guyana and solidarity with the Government of Guyana in the face of the controversy. The resolution was seconded by Mr. Ralph Maraj, Foreign Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and is to be communicated to the heads of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The assembly, presided over by Speaker of the Grenada House of Representatives, Sir Curtis Strachan, opened Thursday to endorsements from Acting Governor General of Grenada, Dr. John Watts; the Chairman of the CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, Prime Minister Basdeo Panday of Trinidad and Tobago - in a message read by Foreign Minister Maraj. The resolution noted that Venezuela continues to advance her claim to the Essequibo and pointed out that this completely disregards the fact that the existing boundary was defined by the unanimous judgement of an international arbitral tribunal given in Paris in 1899, and jointly demarcated on the ground by officials of the United Kingdom and Venezuela and accepted by the international community as both the de facto and de jure boundary between Guyana and Venezuela. It noted that following the continued agitation by Venezuela, the Geneva Agreement signed on February 17, 1966 between the United Kingdom and British Guiana and Venezuela, established a Mixed Commission of Guyanese and Venezuelan representatives charged with the task of seeking a satisfactory solution for the peaceful settlement of the controversy between Venezuela and the United Kingdom which has arisen as a result of the Venezuelan contention that the arbitral award was null and void. It also noted the failure of the Mixed Commission and the future agreement by Guyana and Venezuela within the context of Article IV(2) of the 1966 Geneva Agreement to refer the decision as to the means of settlement to the Secretary General of the United Nations. Relations between the two countries have been conducted over recent years in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect and through the development or programmes of functional cooperation, the resolution observed. It further noted the commitment of the two countries to the good offices process of the UN Secretary General and recognised the consistent and firm support of CARICOM member states for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Guyana and their stated desire for a peaceful settlement to the controversy. Host Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell and Secretary-General of CARICOM, Mr. Edwin Carrington also gave endorsements. Impassioned contributions in support came from Maraj and Antigua and Barbuda's Senator Leonard (Tim) Hector while St. Lucia's Senator Marius Wilson was in the vanguard of those expressing reservations. Minister in the Ministry of Local Government, Mr. Clinton Collymore, Education Minister, Dr Dale Bisnauth and People's National Congress parliamentarian, Mr. Andy Gouveia attended the meeting. It is understood that Gouveia was absent when the resolution on Guyana was dealt with.
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